Cy sensuit histoire de athalis royne de iherusalem · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Cy sensuit histoire de athalis royne de iherusalem
Subject: Important Queens; Important Women; Famous Women; Athaliah
Period: 1400-1450;
Geographic: Israel; Jerusalem
Description: This illumination depicts Queen Athaliah of Jerusalem on the far-left side of the image wearing a crown to symbolize her royal status. She is illustrated watching her servants holding children down as they stab them with knives. In order to gain complete control of her kingdom, Athaliah ordered her guards to kill all the descendants of David so that none could rise and take her throne. Unbeknownst to Athlaliah, a grandchild named Jehoash had escaped her wrath and grew up to overthrow her. In punishment for her cruelty, Athaliah was killed, which is illustrated in the top, right-hand corner of the image.
Image Creator: Master of Boethius (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:19959
Language: frm
Source Name: Des cleres et nobles femmes, De claris mulieribus in an anonymous French translation
Parent Collection: 1410 Paris
Image: mta_19959_OBJ.jpg